SassyK's refeed diary

hey Sassy,

I just had another look at your photos to check out the diffference the last 10 kgs made, its given me some hope and a little push of encouragement!

I'm sorry your not enjoying your reefeed - not long to go now and you'll be on white sandy beaches with crystal clear blue waters.... with the odd hottie thrown in here and there!

I think you are awesome and such a strong person, maybe you could try looking at it like you have already won the race but you just have to get thru the victory lap!

Hope your feeling much better soon!

Sum X

[SassyK]

I forgot to mention that over the weekend I planned out all of my meals for the remaining 12 days of refeed (starting at Day 6). I bought, bagged and labelled protein for every meal (taking into account all of the increases and new proteins), and worked out exactly what I'm going to have and when.

During the program I bagged and froze my protein portions as well, and would just get out whatever I felt like (steak, chicken, prawns, fish, etc), but during refeed I've got every meal labelled with the day and meal. So far it's been great. I don't get home and worry about what I'm going to have for dinner. And, I'm able to space the increases out during the day, rather than having to try to stuff the extra food in when I get home.

Thanks Summer. I'm feeling OK... far more in control than I was this time last week... but I'm not enjoying being back in the 70s, nor the amount of food I have to stuff myself with every day. At the moment I'm sitting here feeling like my zipper is going to split, and forcing down a banana. It just doesn't seem right to me... If I lose weight during refeed it will be a miracle!

[Stoddy]

Hey Sassy

I feel terrible .. I haven't been over to see how you are going since last week ... and I just went back over the last 3 pages and read it all .. I am sooo sorry you have had some struggles and hiccups during refeed. It sounds confusing and scary !! Not to mention making yourself eat .. after so long of wanting that extra bit of fruit . to have to force yourself must do your head in.

Something I heard recently which made me think ... a lady who is skinny and her hubby is large and just joined Cohens .. said that people look at skinny people with jealousy and think they are lucky .. but skinny people have to work at being skinny !
And you know what .. for some people that isn't the case (and they probably wish they could put weight on) .. but after looking around at my skinny friends ... yeah they watch what they eat, they go to the gym . they DO work at it .. so for all of us to work on it for the rest of our lives .. this may be normal !!

I like what Sum said ... you have won, you are just doing the victory lap !

Sounds like you are all organised and prepared to finish this before your trip. Big hugs my dear .. and thanks for the advice you are giving us along the way !

Hope tomorrow is a brighter day !

Stoddy
xx

[Annabelle Joy]

Sassy, what did you drink at the party, and how much? When I go out in the evening and drink water all evening (and my evenings aren't late) I invariably add weight next day, just fluid though. As Stoddy says, most thin people, particularly women as they mature (and I don't mean get old) have to watch what they eat and exercise if they are to hold their weight in check.

AJ

[Almost Eden]

I have organised the first 11 days of the 15 day refeed I have. I haven't started buying any of the new protiens yet. I want to finnish what I have in the fridge. I have been pretty safe so far just using tuna for the added protein and stuff...I really need to have a look in the freezer and see exactly what I have so that I don't slip up at this crutial stage. Big love and stuff.

Eden.

[Faithy]

Hey there gorgeous Sassy girl... hang in there.. it's almost over..
I know refeed does your head in a bit.. I was reading over mine the other day & I think similar things went through my head.. it's OK to eat that bit of chocolate cause if I put on a bit I can go back 2 days.. I'm glad I didn't but I was so close.. I really do feel for you & just want to give you a HUGE hug..

Stoddy you are so right.. a friend of mine said something similar to me the other day & I can remember looking at her sideways LOL.. she said now you'll be just like the rest of us.. what she meant was the majority of people HAVE to watch what they eat.. it IS normal.. what isn't is just chowing down the junk (LOL UGGHHH).. even my dad said that.. what are you stressing about he says to me.. we ALL have to watch what we eat.. annoying but that's the way we're built..

I cant wait till I get really fit.. then I'm gunna race your cute LIL butt off

HUGS

[SassyK]

Day 9, 7 August 2008

Weight: 70.6kg (-0.4kg on refeed start, +1.6kg on lowest weight)

Breakfast: Yoghurt + fruit salad (good fruit) + crackers
Snack: Apple + crackers
Lunch: Cajun chicken + salad + veg soup
Snack: Celery sticks + crackers + banana + chicken 'nuggets'
Dinner: Beef with mushroom 'gravy' and cauliflower mash, + crackers
Dessert: Strawberries
Fluid: Water x 3L, Soft drink x 1.5L
Exercise: Run (1.5km/10 mins), RPM (1 hour)

I've just had lunch and I'm still feeling exceedingly full. Thankfully, the scales moved in the right direction today, and I'm down on my refeed start weight again. I'd love to get back under 70kgs, but I've been told not to expect to lose any weight after Day 10.

I was chatting to another Cohenite last night who suggested that maybe I didn't need to eat everything on the refeed program if I felt it was too much. If that's true, it would be great. I think the idea is that you need to eat the new items (bread, bad fruits, milk, etc) to see how your body responds, but if it's too much food you can cut back on the old stuff. If I'm not hungry tonight at dinner time I might try that, I think. I'm actually looking forward to the end of refeed, when I think I'll be heading back to program size portions for a while. Obviously, my stomach has shrunk over the last 12 months, and I don't like the uncomfortably full feeling I get most days on refeed. I much prefered the 'just satisfied' feeling I had a few months into the program.

Yesterday I had a banana (my first in about 9 months) about two hours before I went for a 7.5km run. I didn't notice any real difference in my energy level though. And, I actually didn't enjoy the banana that much. That's a good thing, for me, because I generally used to have one a day before the program, and considering they are high in carbs and sugar (and therefore a 'bad' fruit), I don't want to get into that habit again.

Tomorrow I get to start adding new protein... a little at first, and then by then by Day 17 it's a whole lot. I still haven't had bread yet... I'm saving that for tomorrow when I have planned a tuna melt for lunch. Yum!

It's been months since I had TOM... Before Cohens my cycle was practically non-existant, due to being obese and having PCOS, but as soon as I started the program they were like clockwork, 4 weeks apart, for the first 7 months. I'm feeling a little bit bloated, but it's hard to tell if that's PMS or just because I'm incredibly full all the time these days! I think I'd feel a bit better (and maybe lose a bit of fluid) if TOM came...

Thanks for visiting and for your comments Summer, Stoddy, AE, Faithy and AJ.

Stoddy ~ Thanks for your lovely words . It's so true. People are rarely naturally slim - they have to work at it too. It's going to be like that for everyone on this forum.

AJ ~ I drank Sprite Zero and sparking mineral water at the party. My undoing was eating crackers and cheese (and it was so close to bed time).

Faithy ~ Thanks . Refeed has been a bit of struggle and mental adjustment period for me. It's been hard not to allow myself to have a treat to reward myself here and there. I just need to put my head down, bum up and finish what I started. Thanks for dropping by - I've missed you!

[Kohinoor]

Hi Sassy,

I'd love to get back under 70kgs, but I've been told not to expect to lose any weight after Day 10.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

I have read those words regularly - but Happyme and SMS both put the lie to that comment:-
http://newyouforum.com/forum/showpos...1&postcount=32
Also, if that were so, then Janine and ConnieK would not have got back down to their earlier lowest refeed weights.

Check out other refeed diaries, Sassy - you may well find the news is not so bad. Like, maybe you won't lose "extra" weight, but getting back down to your lowest refeed weight seems pretty common.... With you, isn't that around 69Kg?

I'm off to Bne for a week - good luck with the City to Surf AND with the rest of refeed - I'll pop in from time to time while away, just not so addicted

Hugs,

Koh

[Faithy]

Hey Gorgeous Girl..

Seriously!!! NOW!!!! I WOULD be eating everything.. I think perhaps you might need to STOP & rethink what's going on.. The idea of refeed is for your body to re introduce foods AND amounts to see what it can handle..
Your weight gain wasn't from the refeed foods, it was from the other stuff.. I know it's horrid feeling so disgustingly full but there's no real way to work out what your body CAN handle if this isn't done properly.. if you do put on more than a kilo on JUST refeed foods only THEN you know that perhaps that's how much your body can handle.. you know the drill.. go back 2 days & try again.. IF you still go up then you KNOW that's it for you..
Spreading the extra over the 3 meals as much as possible will help a little.. but it's really just a stuff your face (with the right stuff) & see it through till the end or until your body says NUP..

Hang in there gorgeous girl.. you CAN do this.. it's such an important part of the process.

Call me if you wanna chat about it.. OK HUGS you XXX

[Almost Eden]

I am so happy to hear that you have gotten back to you start refeed weight...great going. I know it's still a little dissappointing to think that you did see yourself at an even lower weight if only fleetingly...but have faith...you never know what the future may hold for you. Besides with the increasing food you will be able to increase your excercise and muscle mass and all that lovely jazz so it's quite likely that if you don't get there on refeed you will when your doing maintenance. The world and your weight is your oyster.

As far as the not eating what the refeed suggests...I was told the same thing from my clinic. If it's to much food and it's making you feel sick to eat it all...then eat the new stuff and cut back a little on the old. I think it would be a good idea to still prepare the entire amount specified by the refeed and have that all on the plate when you sit down to eat...start with the new stuff and then stop when you are satisfied. Eat as much as you can but leave what is left of the old program food. I think on a psychological level this might be a healthy habbit to get into and may have a positive effect on how we eat if we go out for dinner or whatever after refeed...you know...rather than eating every scerick on the plate, feeling good about having eaten enough to satisfy us but not so much that we feel like a stuffed turkey afterwards. And just getting used to leaving food on the plate. I don't know if that was a thing for you...I might be generalising...but I know that I found it very difficult to leave any food on my plate...especially if I had paid for it out at a resturant.

Anywho...I think your doing fab. Keep it up honey. I am loving this refeed business so far...still only early days so not feeling so full yet...but I am sure over the coming days I will be right where you are wondering if I can get it all in and freaking out if I can't. We shall see. Big love and fat melting hugs

Eden/Eamon

[SassyK]

Day 10, 8 August 2008

Weight: 70.4kg (-0.6kg on refeed start, +1.4kg on lowest weight)

Breakfast: Yoghurt + apple + pineapple + mango + crackers
Snack: Pineapple (1/2 serve) + apple (1/2 serve) + crackers
Lunch: Tuna melt + salad + bread!
Snack: Celery sticks + crackers + bad fruit
Dinner: Mixed seafood + salad
Dessert: Banana + crackers
Fluid: Water x 1.5L so far, Soft drink x .75L so far
Exercise: Run (7.5km/50 mins)

Happy 08.08.08 to you all.

I'm full of beans today... I feel so pumped and energised! I went for my last run before the City to Surf this morning and felt like I could just keep going and going. My headspace is good, and I feel great.

More of an update to come...

[Annabelle Joy]

Good to see you are feeling so good, Sassy. As Koh said, quite a lot lose after day 10 on refeed. Not sure, but Tuti may be another one.

AJ

[jeannie77]

Its so good to hear you are doing well and in a good headspace.

Good luck for the weekend City to Surf.

[SassyK]

Day 11, 9 August 2008

Weight: 69.4kg (-1.6kg on refeed start, +0.4kg on lowest weight)

Breakfast: Yoghurt + blueberries + apple + crackers
Snack: Apple + crackers + mandarin
Lunch: Chilli ginger basil chicken + salad
Snack: Crackers + celery + chicken 'nuggets' + kiwi
Dinner: Chicken + mushrooms + salad
Dessert: Banana
Fluid: Water 3.0L, Soft drink 2.2L
Exercise: None

Well... I couldn't have asked for a better result than to wake up 1.2kg lighter today, and only 400g from my lowest weight. I'm back in the 60s and I hope I'm here to stay this time. It's hard to believe that I can have a loss like that after a) eating bread!, b) eating very late last night (after driving to Sydney after work (3.5 hours) and meeting friends at a movie, and c) stuffing my face with all the crazy food on refeed. I'm a little bit shocked this morning, but I'll take it!

Yesterday's tuna melt was to die for. The bread I got wasn't the greatest in the world (Tiger loaf from Baker's Delight), but I did enjoy it. I only got a little half loaf and asked them to slice it for toast because it's a bit smaller than a usual slice and the weight came out just right. There's only about 10 slices, and once I get through those I think bread is going to be a 'sometimes food' for me, and I generally won't keep it in the house.

I'm off to the shops today to get some stuff for my trip, like a pair of bathers, some shoes and hopefully a little dress if I can find one I like. It's not the right season to get a Summer dress, but there's some new stuff in the shops, so I'll see how I go.

Today I can introduce carbs, like potato, pumpkin and pasta. The timing is great, because tonight I'll be carb loading for the run tomorrow - pasta and bread with dinner - wow!

I finally figured out how to get a body fat reading on my scales last night. I've never known how, or if my scales even did it, but I brought them with me to Sydney and last night my friend stood on them, for longer than I normally do, and suddenly they came up with other numbers, one being body fat. Mine is 20.0% this morning... I'm off to find out what that means now.

Thanks for visiting AJ, Jeannie and AE and Faithy.

Faithy ~ Thanks so much for your advice. Refeed has been a bit of a struggle for me - both mentally and physically. My tummy must be expanding a little already, because I managed to eat everything on the program yesterday and not feel so ridiculously stuffed. I'm going to try to do it every day until the end, but I still think I'll be pulling back to something closer to the program in terms of portion sizes - I think something in between program and refeed will suit me.

AE ~ I'm not sure I'll be increasing my exercise! I've been exercising pretty intensely for the entire program. This week alone I've run 42.5km in 6 days... and done 4 RPM classes. My normal routine these days is 30m of running, 5 RPM classes and 2 Pump classes a week. Now that I'm pretty much at my goal weight (I'd still like to get to 65kg) I can see the muscle tone in my arms and legs, and I'm hoping I'll be able to see it in my abdomen when the loose skin tightens a little, because I can feel it there... it's so gratifying! I like your philosophy about leaving food on the plate. I've never been able to do that - always making sure I get value for money, or eating everything because it tasted so good. I'm glad I'm starting to recognise that I don't have to eat everything on the plate, and feeling satisfied is so much nicer than feeling stuffed, just for the sake of it.

Hope everyone has a great day.

[Faithy]

Have fun & good luck with the run.. I'm so envious of you that you can do that you know.. I aim to be able to run 10 k's 5 times a week.. if only I could get rid of this horrid cold..

Refeed is a bit scary & a bit like the unknown.. I lost right up until my last day.. I cant remember if I weighed myself on day 1 of maintenance.. but day 15 on refeed I had.. so it's not all bad.. actually it gives me a lot of comfort to know I can get away with eating so much 'good food' & still lose..

Anyway.. run their lil cotton sox off

HUGS

[Almost Eden]

Back into the 60's...I told you it would happen. Meanwhile...you are obviously mad with all of that excercise...I guess once I start to feel myself again I will be able to do something similar...how amazing is your determination. Well done love and keep up the great work. Huggles

Eden/Eamon

[shell]

Hi Sassy,
You are doing great!

The 1.2kg loss could be from 2 days before, which I found out the hard way on maintenance!
So be careful with that.
Good luck with your run, that is amazing you can do that, I can't quite make 1km just yet!!
But you give me inspiration.
Shell

[reecy]

wow sassy,

i just found your refeed diary and after reading it i had to go back and read your other diary............and all i can say is wow!

you are amazing looking at how far you have come...your a true inspiration, eispecially to me. i know i have hardly anything to lose compaired to how much you have lost.

i hope you have a fantastic holiday you totally deserve it, you must be real proud of yourself and how far you have come.

sorry to hear you are having a tough time on refeed.....but if anyone can overcome it its you!

good luck with city to surf

reecy

[Annabelle Joy]

Good luck tomorrow, Sassy.

AJ

[SassyK]

Day 12, 10 August 2008

Weight: 69.6kg (-1.4kg on refeed start, +0.6kg on lowest weight)

Breakfast: Egg + steak + mushroom + tomato + toast
Snack: Crackers + strawberries + banana
Lunch: Chilli, basil and ginger chicken + salad
Snack: Apple + crackers
Dinner: Lamb + potato + salad
Fluid: Water 3.0L, Soft drink 2.0L
Exercise: Run/walk 14km